Oro-nasal patient interface

Abstract

A patient interface including a positioning and stabiliz-ing structure that is configured to maintain a first seal-forming structure and a second seal-forming structure in a therapeutically effective position. The positioning and stabilizing structure comprises a frame coupled to the plenum chamber. The frame includes a central portion coupled to the plenum chamber outside of the cavity. The frame also includes a pair of arms that extend away from the central portion in a posterior direction past the second seal-forming structure. The pair of arms are more flexible than the central portion. The positioning and stabilizing structure also includes headgear straps coupled to the frame, which configured to provide a ten-sile force to the first seal-forming structure and to the second seal-forming structure into the patient's face via the frame.

1 . A patient interface comprising:
 a plenum chamber pressurisable to a therapeutic pressure of at least 6 cmH 2 O above ambient air pressure, said plenum chamber including a plenum chamber inlet port sized and structured to receive a flow of air at the therapeutic pressure for breathing by a patient;   a first seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to form a seal with a region of the patient's face surrounding an entrance to the patient's mouth such that the flow of air at said therapeutic pressure is delivered to the mouth, the first seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to maintain said therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber throughout the patient's respiratory cycle in use;   a second seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to form a seal with a region of the patient's face surrounding an entrance to the patient's nose such that the flow of air at said therapeutic pressure is delivered to the nose, the second seal-forming structure constructed and arranged to maintain said therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber throughout the patient's respiratory cycle in use; and   a vent structure to allow a continuous flow of gases exhaled by the patient from an interior of the plenum chamber to vent to ambient, said vent structure being sized and shaped to maintain the therapeutic pressure in the plenum chamber in use;   the patent interface further comprising:   a pair of support portions provided on opposite sides of the interface between the second seal forming structure and an anterior wall of the plenum chamber, wherein the support portions are configured to oppose compression in an anterior-posterior direction.   
     
     
         2 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the support portions are connected to portions of the second seal forming structure which seal, in use, against the patient's lip superior. 
     
     
         3 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the support portions are connected to portions of the second seal forming structure which, in use, seal to the patient's lip superior, directly inferior to the lower corners of the patient's nose. 
     
     
         4 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the support portions are curved when viewed in cross-section parallel to a sagittal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the support portions are curved when viewed in cross-section parallel to a frontal plane. 
     
     
         6 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the plenum chamber comprises an oral portion and a nasal portion. 
     
     
         7 . The patient interface of  claim 6 , wherein each support portion is connected to the oral portion of the plenum chamber adjacent a boundary of a lateral side wall portion of the oral portion and a lateral side wall portion of the nasal portion. 
     
     
         8 . The patient interface of  claim 6 , wherein each support portion is connected to the oral portion of the plenum chamber adjacent a boundary of an anterior wall portion of the oral portion and an anterior wall portion of the nasal portion. 
     
     
         9 . The patient interface of  claim 7 , wherein the lateral side wall portions of the plenum chamber curve inwardly adjacent the boundary with the nasal portion, wherein each support portion is substantially contiguous with an adjacent lateral side wall portion. 
     
     
         10 . The patient interface of  claim 1 , wherein the second seal-forming structure comprises at least one nasal aperture configured to deliver a flow of air at said therapeutic pressure to an entrance to the patient's nares, wherein, in use no part of either support portion is directly inferior to the or each nasal aperture.